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2006-2007 Board of Education Meeting Summaries
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
June 11, 2007 Regular
Meeting The board of education
convened its final meeting for the current fiscal
year at 6 pm at the District Administrative Center
with all members in attendance. The highlights of
this last meeting included budget priorities in FY
08; decision-making for supplemental contracts;
receiving a brief presentation from district
patrons; and most of all, recognizing retiring
board members. Retiring
Board of Education Members
Recognized Santa Fe Trail USD 434
extended its appreciation and affirmation to three
members who are ending their terms of service on
June 30. The longest serving member, Fred Berry of
Scranton, leaves the governing body after 14 years
of service. Helping him receive the district's
affirmation were many of his family members who
were in attendance. Fred Berry not only provided
consistent and steady influence with district
governance, he also served as the local district's
representative to the Three Lakes Education Board
of Directors which added yet one more monthly
meeting to his already full schedule. Board
President Brad Shaffer received recognition for
giving eight years of continuous service that not
only included two formal board meetings each month
but also included countless hours of service with
the District Technology Committee and many arduous
hours of promoting improved facilities for the
children of Santa Fe Trail. Jim Jolly was given a
plaque noting appreciation for his four years of
service representing the Overbrook area. His
willingness to provide technical advisement for the
Maintenance & Operations department of the
school district was noted. All board members were
greeted by audience members during the refreshment
break. Superintendent Terry Schmidt and Assistant
Superintendent Sheree Gill noted the extreme
sacrifices given by board members and their family
members. Both officials expressed gratitude and
appreciation for the quality leadership;
perseverance in challenging times; and especially
the focus always given to the purpose of serving
children. Defibrillators
May Be Placed in All District
Schools Scranton Patron Ken Silver
and Scranton Principal Michael Flax requested board
support of emergency medical equipment placed in
all schools. Currently the district has one
defibrillator and it is placed at Santa Fe Trail
High School. Safety and security issues were
reviewed by the presenters. The board affirmed the
use of defibrillators at all schools and authorized
district administrators to return this item in
early August for final consideration. Patrons
Present Concerns Regarding Coaching and
Athletics
A group of parents
requested and received time to share their concerns
with the board of education about district
athletics and coaching assignments. The group was
led by Mrs. Nancy Fike and Mr. Zach Anshutz who
provided a prepared statement. The concerns
directed to the board included the processes used
to select head coaches for district teams and their
concerns about the district's commitment to provide
winning programs. The board of education received
the patrons' comments without follow-up questions
but expressed appreciation for their willingness to
attend a board meeting and offer input. Executive
Session The board of education
conducted a sixty-minute executive session to
review non-elected personnel and professional
employee negotiations. Included in the closed door
session were all district administrators who
provided annual recommendations for coaching and
organizational sponsorships. Following the
executive session, the board took action as
follows: Other
Board Actions . . . Meeting
Recess The board recessed the
meeting until Tuesday, June 19th at 5 pm at which
time the board will conclude its agenda work with a
brief executive session including board members and
the superintendent. The next regular meeting of the
board will be Monday, July 2, 2007 at 6 pm at the
District Administrative Center.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Thursday,
May 31, 2007 Special
Meeting The board of education convened a
special meeting at 12:30 pm on Thursday,
May 31, at the District Administrative
Center. Board members present included
President Brad Shaffer, Vice-President
Fred Berry, Carolyn Hug, Debbie Prochaska,
Randy Boudeman, and Jim Jolly. Board
members-elect who attended included Clay
Lee and Dana Mentzer. Administrators
present included Superintendent Terry
Schmidt, Interim Superintendent Steve
Pegram, and Deputy Clerk of the Board Amy
Hill. Executive
Session The board of education conducted a
fifteen minute executive session to
discuss non-elected personnel. Following
the executive session, the board voted
unanimously to accept a letter of
resignation from Carbondale Attendance
Center Principal Cherie Nicholson. Mrs.
Nicholson has accepted a position with the
Kansas State Department of Education and
will begin work there in July. The board
of education discussed several options in
filling the leadership void for the
Carbondale Attendance Center in the 2007 -
08 school year. Due to the time
constraints needed for recruitment,
interviewing, and selection, a decision
was made to appoint an Interim Principal
for the next school year. With unanimous
agreement, former Carbondale Attendance
Center Principal Ed Gerhardt has been
named and he has accepted the appointment.
Principal Ed Gerhardt will begin his work
at Carbondale in late July. Next
Meeting The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
Board of Education will take place on
Monday, June 11, beginning at 6 pm. The
meeting will be held at the District
Administrative Center Board Room.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
May 14, 2007 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened its
meeting at 6 pm at the District
Administrative Center. All members were
present as President Brad Shaffer guided
the governing body through a long agenda
dominated by planning issues for the 2007
- 08 school year. Of special interest to
the board were two guest presentations.
Scranton Middle School Instructor Linda
Lilja introduced Cody Hunter, grade eight
student who recently won a VFW award for a
Patriot's Pen contest by submitting an
essay on the topic: Citizenship in
America. The board also welcomed Mrs.
Shari Untz who reviewed her recent travels
and experiences while serving as President
of the School Nutrition Association of
Kansas. Past
Business Items The board received an update regarding
the completed study for Supplemental
Salaries (coaching, sponsorships, etc)
that could be effective for the 2007 - 08
school year. Additional work will be
needed by the committee who formulated the
plan before it can be finalized in the
contract bargaining process. The board received a brief update from
High School Principal Brian Kraus
concerning the final draft of the 2007 -
08 student activity handbooks. Final
approval was granted by the board. Santa
Fe Trail High School Alternative School
Exploration Santa Fe Trail High School Principal
Brian Kraus provided a review of all
activities that have been completed to
develop a future alternative school
concept in USD 434. Mr. Kraus reviewed
work accomplished with the Southeast
Kansas Service Center to establish an
alternative school within the school
district. The planning phase with this
group ended when financing became an issue
for the sponsoring group. Principal Kraus and Assistant Supt.
Sheree Gill then reviewed work most
recently completed to collaborate with a
number of Shawnee County schools and other
schools north of Topeka to develop an
alternative learning site - possibly at
the Forbes Field Complex. This exploration
has not materialized due to the program
service objective not being compatible
with needs of schools in Santa Fe Trail.
It was determined by the board of
education that additional work should take
place in the next school year to develop a
budgeted plan for consideration. Art
Education in Santa Fe Trail Elementary
Schools The board of education received a
lengthy report from Art Instructor Sally
Riggs and the elementary school principals
that described a need to provide more art
instruction through the addition of a
teacher. It was reported that currently
the elementary art teacher has 45 total
classes serving 716 students in three
different buildings. With the workload
involved, the presenters discussed the
limited amount of time available for
adequate instruction. Two of the
elementary schools in the district operate
a schedule that allows for students to
have art education just twice per month.
The art instructor indicated she faces
significant restrictions in providing the
desired art instruction for elementary
learners including: instructional space,
storage space, a limited schedule to serve
all students, and difficulties in getting
materials in classrooms each day since
there is no special art room available at
any of the schools. The board expressed appreciation for
the information provided. Budget
restrictions will be examined with
continued budget work at the June 11
regular meeting. Special
Reading Instruction at the Scranton
Attendance Center Assistant Supt. Sheree Gill and
Scranton Principal Michael Flax presented
a proposal to provide special reading
instruction to qualified students at the
Scranton School. The Federal Government
(Title I) provides extra funds for schools
that have a qualified number of low income
students for extra help in learning
reading and mathematics. Two schools
qualify in Santa Fe Trail - Carbondale and
Scranton. Currently the Carbondale school
has a fulltime reading specialist funded
by Title I along with several Title I
paraprofessionals. The Scranton School
only has paraprofessional help for
students needing help in reading. The
proposal as presented by the
administrators would implement a half-time
reading specialist using existing staff
resources. With an unusually small class
in a primary grade, certain combinations
in instruction would free a teacher on
staff to provide Title I reading. There
would not be any additional budget costs
with the staff reassignment in the 2007 -
08 school year. Much discussion occurred
concerning the placement of a full-time
reading specialist at the Scranton School.
The board did vote by a 5 - 2 margin to
approve the plan as presented with staff
realignment due to small class sizes and
limited budget authority in the next
fiscal year. Santa
Fe Trail Technology Committee Annual
Report Technology Coordinator Sean Nelson
provided an overview of the technology
needs assessment as completed by the
District Technology Committee. The needs
identified by the staff provided a total
fiscal note in excess of $190,000. The
current budget for technology is $85,000
per year plus a limited number of
available dollars in the vocational
education fund. As reported by the
Technology Coordinator, the committee had
whittled the requested dollars to $105,000
for the next school year. After much
discussion and debate, the board
determined the new technology acquisitions
should be limited to the current
resources. The board voted 5 - 2 to not
spend more than $85,000 in the next fiscal
year for instructional technology. Curriculum
Coordinating Council (CCC) Report and
Recommendations The board of education received the
annual report and suggestions for the
instructional programs of Santa Fe Trail
USD 434. The CCC is comprised of twenty
members who represent district teachers,
district principals, community members,
and board of education members. The CCC is
the clearing house for all suggested
curriculum programs and resource
materials. The board of education approved
on a vote of 5 - 2 the reports provided
and authorized a two-year expenditure plan
for resource materials. Included were: a
change in the grade two reading diagnostic
assessment; approval for a course addition
called 'Real Life Math Applications at
SFTHS'; the k-12 science proposal;
acceptance of the District Wellness Plan
Evaluation; acceptance of the Accelerated
Math Program; the updated social studies
resources list; expenditures totaling
$89,088 in FY 08 and $80,727 in FY 09. In
Other Board Business . .
. Executive
Session The board of education conducted a
35-minute executive session to review a
student matter, items affecting
non-elected personnel, and professional
employee negotiations. Superintendent's
Report The board reviewed communications from
each school and from department directors.
The board discussed annual appointments to
various committees, boards, and
representations for the next fiscal year.
The board reviewed upcoming calendar dates
that will involve each. Next
Meeting The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
Board of Education will take place on
Monday, June 11 beginning at 6 pm. The
meeting will be held at the District
Administrative Center Board Room.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
May 9, 2007 Special
Meeting The board of education convened a
special meeting at 6:15 pm in the
Conference Room of the District
Administrative Center. Board members in
attendance included Brad Shaffer, Fred
Berry, Randy Boudeman, Jim Jolly, Carolyn
Hug, and Brad Fischer. Waiver
of Notice The board unanimously approved a Waiver
of Notice to allow the board to meet in
this special session. Executive
Session The board conducted a seven minute
executive session for the purpose of
discussing non-elected personnel.
Following the executive session the board
authorized a contract for Steven E. Pegram
to serve as Interim Superintendent of
Schools effective July 2, 2007 through
June 30, 2008 at a total compensation
package of $103,000. Voting for the motion
were Brad Shaffer, Fred Berry, Brad
Fischer, Randy Boudeman, and Jim Jolly.
Voting against was Carolyn Hug. Next
Meeting The next regular meeting of the Santa
Fe Trail Board of Education will take
place on Monday, May 14 beginning at 6 pm.
The meeting will be held at the District
Administrative Center Board Room.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
May 7, 2007 Special
Meeting The board of education convened a
special meeting at 3 pm in the Board Room
of the District Administrative Center. All
board members were present including board
members-elect Joe Gast, Clay Lee, and Dana
Mentzer. Waiver
of Notice The board unanimously approved a Waiver
of Notice to allow the board to meet in
this special session. Executive
Session The board conducted a five hour
executive session for the purpose of
interviewing candidates for the position:
Interim Superintendent of Schools. Following the lengthy executive
session, no action was taken. Next
Meeting The next regular meeting of the Santa
Fe Trail Board of Education will take
place on Monday, May 14 beginning at 6 pm.
The meeting will be held at the District
Administrative Center Board Room.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
April 23, 2007 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened its
meeting at 6 pm in the Commons of the
Carbondale Attendance Center. The board
spent several minutes of the open meeting
recognizing individual students and
teachers. Superintendent Terry Schmidt
announced to the Board the large number of
students who have qualified for the
status: State of Kansas Scholar. These
students are Tara Arnwine, Alex Boss,
Janel Clements, Monica Day, Jacob Havens,
Andrew Linenberger, Tyler Metcalf, Brooke
Pryor, Philip Schiffelbein. Superintendent
Terry Schmidt introduced Second Grade
Instructor Diane Lang, a Fulbright Award
winner. Mrs. Lang discussed her award and
her plans for the coming summer months as
she travels to Japan. The Board of
Education recognized SFT Division III -
2nd place Odyssey of the Mind winners
Philip Schiffelbein, Vicky Robbins,
Kaleigh Poole, Levi Sund, Krista Logan,
Brenna Kaff, Chase McIver, and Coach Mrs.
Tina McIver. Mrs. McIver discussed the
plans of this group to travel to the World
Championships in Lansing, Michigan. Assistant Superintendent Sheree Gill
introduced teachers selected for the 2007
- 08 Santa Fe Trail Teachers of the Year,
and explained the selection process. The
Board recognized Ann Blosser, Elementary
Teacher of the Year and Paul Schmidt,
Secondary Teacher of the Year. Board
of Education Forms Partnership with the
Scranton PTO The board of education received
follow-up information from the Scranton
PTO organization for the planned
playground improvements during the coming
summer months. The board voted unanimously
to assist with the project through a
contribution of $9,000. Board
Receives Report: Supplemental Contract
Study District Director of Activities Dave
Watkins provided the Board an overview of
the proposed new structure for
supplemental contract assignments showing
current costs and anticipated costs. The
study will now move the Santa Fe Trail
Education Association and the board's
bargaining team for discussion in
professional employee negotiations. The
study and recommendations would result in
new dollar amounts awarded to sponsors,
coaches, and others who fall under the
supplemental contract provisions. The
estimated costs to implement the full
study in 2007 - 08 are approximately
$38,000. No final decision for the new
supplemental salary amounts can be made
until the conclusion of the professional
employee negotiations process. In
Other Board of Education Business . .
. Executive
Session The board of education conducted a
35-minute executive session to review
items concerning non-elected personnel and
professional employee negotiations.
Following the executive session, the board
took action to employ Kevin and Angela
Stone as FAST LANE Site Coordinators at
Overbrook and approved a contract for Amy
Crotinger to serve as TrailNet Clerk. Superintendent's
Report The board reviewed communications from
each school and from department directors.
In addition, the board received a brief
update from Member Fred Berry concerning
the Three Lakes Education Cooperative. Recessed
Meeting The Santa Fe Trail Board of Education
recessed its meeting until Tuesday, April
24, 2007, 8 pm at the District
Administrative Center. Board
of Education Reconvenes Meeting on
Tuesday, April 24 - 8
pm The board reconvened its meeting at the
District Administrative Center and
immediately recessed to executive session
to discuss non-elected personnel items. In
addition to the six board members present,
newly elected board members Joe Gast, Clay
Lee, and Dana Mentzer were invited to the
executive session discussion. The board of
education worked in executive session for
90 minutes. Following the executive
session, the board of education took the
following action:
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
April 9, 2007 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened its
meeting on Monday, April 9, 2007 in the
media center of the Scranton School. The
board welcomed newly elected members Joe
Gast, Clay Lee, and Dana Mentzer who will
each begin four year terms of service on
July 1, 2007. The board provided formal
recognition to Overbrook Kindergarten
Instructor Rhonda Cathey who led her
students in a school-wide fundraising
effort to assist the fire damaged
elementary school in Seneca, KS. The board
provided formal recognition to the
district's Odyssey of the Mind program as
it recently completed a very successful
season at all levels. The SFTHS team
recently took second place in state
competition and will travel to Michigan in
late May to compete in the national
championship. Scranton
Grade Eight Class Trip
Approved The board received a request from
Scranton Middle School teachers to sponsor
a student trip to Branson, Missouri. The
students and sponsors have successfully
fundraised all costs for the trip. The
board of education unanimously approved
the out-of-state trip per board of
education policy. Maintenance
Department Reports Sub-Soil Water Issues
at Carbondale and
Scranton District Director of Maintenance Corky
Green outlined for the board of education
current and past issues with sub-soil
moisture. Past practices to correct the
problems and recent problem solutions
provided by an engineering firm were
discussed. The board unanimously agreed to
continue a work agreement with the
engineering firm of Terracon, Topeka to
find answers to current problems. The
board continued its discussion for a
long-term sub-soil water issue at
Carbondale. Scranton
PTO Group Proposes Playground
Improvements Scranton PTO representatives Chad
Myrick, Joy Schmidt, and Linda Vandevord
provided an overview of improvements
planned for the playground. The projects
could total as much as $20,000. Through
exhaustive fundraising and cooperating
partners, the PTO hopes to complete the
project before the start of the 2007 - 08
school year. The board of education plans
to share in the costs of the playground
project and will take formal action at a
future meeting. Other
Board Business . . . Executive
Session The board of education conducted a
30-minute executive session to review
items affecting non-elected personnel.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
March 12, 2007 Regular
Meeting The Santa Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education conducted its only meeting for
March under the guidance of BOE President
Brad Shaffer. Highlighting the evening's
work was the official recognition of the
2007 State Wrestling Team who received a
3rd place trophy. Recognized by the board
were student athletes: Josh Cauthon, Chris
Ewing, Jake Kober, Charlie Shively, Ryan
Weaver, Chase Wells, and coaches Regan
Erickson, Kirk Wiscombe, Lonnie Morford,
and Jerod Rigdon. Presentations
Received by the Board of
Education The Board received two presentations
including one from District Staff Member
Regan Erickson and the other from Mr. Don
Shultz, representing the Overbrook Park
Development Committee. Regan Erickson, a tenth year veteran
teacher/wrestling coach with USD 434,
reviewed his program's successes and
challenges. High on the list of needs
within the high school wrestling program
is the need for improved practice
facilities. Mr. Erickson outlined needed
facility improvements that will result in
the program's continued success. Don Shultz, representing the Overbrook
Park Development Committee, provided a
visual and oral update concerning the
planned new park for the Overbrook
community. The presentation revealed
several features of the proposed park that
could benefit outdoor learning activities
for students. Other
Board Business . . . Next
Meeting The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
Board of Education will take place on
Monday, April 9 beginning at 6 pm. The
meeting will be held at the Scranton
Attendance Center.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of
Education Monday,
February 26, 2007 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened its
meeting at the Overbrook Attendance Center
Library with all board members in
attendance. Board President Brad Shaffer
led the board through an agenda dominated
by funding requests and program
updates. Santa
Fe Trail High School Baseball and Softball
Playing Sites The board of education reviewed its
involvement with the communities of
Overbrook and Carbondale in the use of
baseball diamonds and softball diamonds
respectively. Since the inception of the
two competitive sports for high school
students, the district has benefited from
the use of facilities at no cost. With the
planned facility changes at the Overbrook
City Park and the need to continue the
very satisfactory playing fields at
Carbondale, a decision was made to provide
a one time $5,000 payment to both the
Overbrook Ball Association and to the
Carbondale Recreation Commission
contingent on the successful
implementation of facility improvements
with the planned special grant funding.
The board also determined that each year
it would review a nominal sustained
financial commitment. The board action
passed on a vote of 5 - 1 with member
Randy Boudeman not present for the voting
due to a potential conflict of
interest. Overbrook
Playground and Scranton Track Practice
Sites Receive Action The board reviewed the needs presented
to improve the playground gate area at
Overbrook and reviewed the need to provide
better and safer ground areas for Scranton
students who participate in track/field
activities. As a result of board action,
approval was granted to spend $1406 for
the installation of a new north gate and
other minor changes for the Overbrook
Attendance Center and approval was granted
for site work at the Scranton Attendance
Center in the amount of $2595. Work is to
begin as soon as the weather is
favorable. In
Other Board of Education Business . .
. Superintendent's
Report The board reviewed communications from
each school and from department directors.
In addition, the board received a brief
update from Member Fred Berry concerning
the Three Lakes Education Cooperative. Next
Meeting The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
Board of Education will take place on
Monday, March 12, 2007 beginning at 6 pm.
The meeting will be held at the District
Administrative Center Board Room.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of Education Monday,
January 29, 2007 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened at 6 pm
for its regular meeting at the District
Administrative Center. All board members
were present to participate in a two and
one-half hour work session to complete job
performance reviews of district
administrators and department
directors. BOE
Reviews Failed Bond Issue and Received
Patron Comments The board of education discussed the
bond issue defeat of January 23 and
determined the next several months would
be a time of listening to community
members and gathering information before
any future bond referendum is planned.
Several patrons were present during this
discussion and shared their ideas with the
board. Patron comment time will be
provided on each board meeting agenda in
the weeks and months ahead. All future
board meetings will have an open forum
time at 7 pm. BOE
Conducts Lengthy Executive
Session The board of education met for nearly
three hours in executive session to review
and complete formal performance reviews of
all district administrators and directors.
In addition to the discussion of
personnel, the board briefly discussed
professional employee negotiations.
Following the executive session, Supt.
Terry Schmidt recommended to the board
that all building principals, department
directors, and the assistant
superintendent receive one year contract
extensions. The board unanimously approved
the suggested action. The board completed the annual
performance review of Supt. Terry Schmidt.
Following the review, the board
unanimously extended the superintendent's
contract by an additional year and
authorized a 3.2% salary increase for the
current contract year. Consent
Agenda Items The board reviewed communications from
each school and from department directors.
In addition, the board received a brief
update from Member Fred Berry concerning
the Three Lakes Education Cooperative. Next
Meeting The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
Board of Education will take place on
Monday, February 12 beginning at 6 pm. The
meeting will be held at Santa Fe Trail
High School, Room 109.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of Education Monday,
January 8, 2007 Regular
Meeting The Santa Fe Trail Board of Education
met for its first meeting in January to
consider a lengthy agenda that included
two executive sessions and numerous report
updates. Due to conflicting school
activities only five members could attend.
BOE President Brad Shaffer released a
surprise press announcement as follows:
"Santa Fe Trail USD 434 was contacted in
recent days by an anonymous donor who
would like to show continued support for
the school district's future. The generous
friend of Santa Fe Trail USD 434 has
watched from a distance the efforts made
within the school community to pass a bond
referendum without success. Because of
this donor's appreciation to the school
district and for the education programs of
the district, the donor announces a gift
of $100,000 to assist Santa Fe Trail USD
434 with the improvement of its
facilities. The Santa Fe Trail USD 434
Board of Education is overwhelmed by the
support of its past students and patrons.
It is with great gratitude the board
welcomes and receives this most generous
gift." Santa
Fe Trail Education
Foundation The board of education affirmed the
first set of directors for the newly
formed education foundation and authorized
the school district attorney to finalize
all remaining documents including the
final application for tax exempt status.
Those named to the new board of directors
include: Mr. Dean Tucker, Carbondale, Mrs.
Nancy Fike, Carbondale, Mrs. Karen
Barezinsky, Scranton, Mr. Gary DeShazer,
Scranton, Mr. Don Hylton, Overbrook, Mr.
Derrick Dahl, Overbrook, Mr. Randy
Boudeman, USD 434 BOE Representative and
Mr. Terry Schmidt, Supt. of Schools, USD
434 - ex officio. Capital
Outlay Fund Priorities in FY 07 and
Beyond The board reviewed the current capital
outlay fund that is projected to have
$600,000 by the end of the current fiscal
year. Due to needed kitchen updates at
Overbrook and Carbondale in addition to
other equipment acquisitions, the board
has determined the capital outlay fund
needs to be limited for its uses in order
to better manage needs in the school
district. The board's ongoing commitment
to keep the district's instrumental
program up-to-standard will result in
other district budgets used and not solely
rely on the capital outlay fund. The board
will continue to look at needs in the
instrumental music program at its February
meetings. Extra-curricular
Leagues in Santa Fe Trail USD
434 District administrators provided
updated reports concerning league
affiliations for Santa Fe Trail High
School and the Scranton Attendance Center.
Principal Brian Kraus reported that talks
continue to form a 'super' league
structure comprised of three six team
divisions. An update will return to the
board in late spring. Director of
Activities Dave Watkins reported the slow
demise of the Sunflower League for
Scranton. With only one or two small
schools left in the league within a year
or two, Scranton will be forced to develop
its own independent schedule of games for
junior high students. Other
Board of Education Business . .
. Board
Meeting Adjournment The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
board will be Monday, January 29, 6 pm at
the District Administrative Center. This
meeting will be a work session conducted
in executive session to consider the
performance reviews of professional
staff. Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of Education Monday,
December 11, 2006 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened its
meeting at 6 pm in the Board Room of the
District Administrative Center. Grace
Community Church Senior Pastor Elvin
Dillard provided pre-board meeting
activities. The board welcomed Mr. Craig
Meier of Overbrook. A web developer, Mr.
Meier was recognized by the board for his
many hours of volunteerism to help support
the recent bond referendum through his
work with TrailBond.org. Mr. Meier also
explained to the board of education how
his company could partner with Santa Fe
Trail to use Internet based advertising
for a school donation. Mr. Meier and his
company will share additional information
at a follow-up board meeting. The board of
education provided formal recognition to
Vice-President Fred Berry and Member
Debbie Prochaska for their involvement in
continuing education activities for the
past year. School
Audit Report Provides Good News . .
. Dave Bogner, CPA, from the firm of
Bogner & Long in Lawrence presented
the annual audit report for fiscal year
'06. According to the auditor, district
financial records were in excellent shape
and all funds were audited as acceptable
with no difficulties. Bogner & Long
was once again approved to provide the new
audit for fiscal year '07. Santa
Fe Trail Board of Education Approves the
Establishment of an Education
Foundation After several years of discussion and
waiting, the Santa Fe Trail Board of
Education gave enthusiastic support to
documents provided by School
Superintendent Terry Schmidt to establish
the Santa Fe Trail Education Foundation.
The Articles of Incorporation were
approved by naming Mr. Don Hylton,
long-time district treasurer, as the
Incorporator. He will also join the
foundation as a future director. Board of
Education members submitted nominations
for others to serve on the foundation
board. Formal affirmations of the
suggested directors will be provided at
the next regular meeting. Curriculum
& Instruction Reports Reveal Learning
Gains in USD 434 Assistant Superintendent Sheree Gill
provided extensive reports about students
and learning through the annual testing
programs in Santa Fe Trail Schools. The
district's program called Measures of
Academic Progress (M.A.P.) found
significant gains over the past year. The
M.A.P. testing program closely aligns with
the mandated State of Kansas Assessment
Program. The assessment tool guides the
professional teaching staff in determining
how best to meet the needs of learners in
grades three through eleven. Official results of the 2006 Kansas
Assessment Testing Program found huge
gains in students' scores. Assistant Supt.
Sheree Gill attributed the success to a
strong curriculum, to aggressive
instructional leadership from building
principals, and to a well-informed,
skilled group of teachers who help
students prepare for the state-mandated
tests. The Santa Fe Trail School District
for the fourth consecutive year has
reached the required status of Adequate
Yearly Progress mandated by the federal
law called No Child Left Behind. Most importantly, the schools of Santa
Fe Trail have reached 15 Standards of
Excellence designations as compared to 8
awarded one year ago. Leading the way was
the Overbrook Attendance Center with 6,
followed by the Carbondale Attendance
Center with 5, the Scranton Attendance
Center with 3, and Santa Fe Trail High
School with 1. School
Security Issues at the Carbondale
Attendance Center Board of Education members reviewed
several school security issues at the
Carbondale site. Since touring the school
and studying the effects of poor security,
the board asked for several ideas and
proposals. Director of Maintenance &
Operations Corky Green, along with CAC
Principal Cherie Nicholson, presented
options to increase building safety for
students and school staff. Concepts
tentatively agreed to include the
installation of doors where none exist
going into the primary wing and a new
entry into the administrative office area
to ensure all visitors report in before
visiting any classroom or other school
areas. District staff were instructed to
return on January 8 with the results of
competitive bidding. January
23, 2007 School Bond Referendum
Update The board reviewed planning tasks for
the next election in Santa Fe Trail USD
434. It was reported that several teams of
community workers are well underway with
certain activities in preparation for the
January 23rd election. The board
determined that a general information
brochure will be mailed not later than
January 5, 2007. In addition, the
community volunteer website TrailBond.org
will become current and functioning within
a few days. The bond referendum for
January 23 will be identical to the
November 7 initiative that failed by 22
votes. School district architects and
planners have indicated a January election
can maintain the same budget amounts but
if an election would be conducted later in
the spring, substantial cost increases
could be experienced. Board
Members Worked in Executive
Session The board of education conducted a
60-minute executive session to review a
student matter, to discuss professional
employee negotiations, and most
importantly, to review non-tenured teacher
performance reviews. At the conclusion of
the executive session no official action
was taken. Other
Board Business: Next
Meeting The next meeting of the Santa Fe Trail
Board of Education will take place on
Monday, January 8 beginning at 6 pm. The
meeting will be held at the District
Administrative Center Board Room. The
board determined the second meeting in
January will be moved to January 29, 6 pm
at Santa Fe Trail High School.
Santa
Fe Trail USD 434 Board of Education Monday,
November 13, 2006 Regular
Meeting The board of education convened its meeting at 6
pm on Monday, November 13 with all members present.
BOE President Brad Shaffer led the board through an
agenda highlighted by guest presenters and a
discussion of the November 7 school bond
election. Overbrook
Park Development Committee Jon Brady representing the Overbrook Park
Development Committee reviewed plans underway to
significantly improve park facilities in Overbrook
that would include the redevelopment of the
baseball playing facilities. Santa Fe Trail High
School uses the ball diamonds in Overbrook for its
competition activities. According to Mr. Brady, the
ball fields will undergo extensive renovation. The
Development Committee would like to have school
staff representation on any planning for the site's
improvement. The Board of Education endorsed this
collaborative effort and instructed the District
Director of Activities to become the contact point
in USD 434 with the Overbrook Park Development
Committee. School
Bond Election Defeat and Next
Actions Board of Education members discussed at great
length the recent narrow defeat of the district's
facilities improvement plan. Numerous patrons were
in the audience to hear the discussion and offered
opinions (pro/con). Board members discussed a quick
return to the voters since 49.6% voted in favor on
November 7. The board of education unanimously
decided to return with a third election on Tuesday,
January 23, 2007. The plan and dollar amount will
not change. A district-wide publication will be
mailed in the first week of January reviewing the
bond referendum and the planned facility
improvements. The board authorized district staff,
the district's bond legal counsel, and the
district's bond adviser to complete all necessary
documents to have an election on January 23,
2007. Reapportionment
of School Board Member Voting
Districts As required by Kansas Statute, the board of
education took action to formally reapportion the
voting districts for board member elections on
April 3, 2007. The current voting district |
